SB Nation - Marlon Lucky

SB Nation 2009 Big 12 Preview: Nebraska Cornhuskers Team Capsule

Jon Johnston — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:32:52 -0000

The SB Nation Big 12 preview will post on Friday at The Ralphie Report. The following is the Nebraska team capsule for the conference-wide preview piece in conjunction with CBS Sports.

Expect the Blackshirt defense to be much improved in Bo Pelini's season. They should carry Nebraska to a Big 12 North win this season. Photo by Dennis Hubbard

The Outlook

Anything less than winning the Big 12 North will be a disappointment. The success of the 2009 Husker offense will depend on Nebraska establishing a firm ground attack, providing time for Lee and the receiving corps to develop into a balanced attack. If the Huskers find themselves one-dimensional, they'll have to rely on their defense to carry them to the Big 12 Championship game, but the margin for error will be very thin.

Offense

In 2009, the offense begins with I-backs Roy Helu Jr. and Quentin Castille. In 2008, Helu was bothered by a shoulder injury at the start of the season, but emerged as a star in November, rushing for 510 yards and five touchdowns in the final four games. For the season, he averaged 6.4 yards per carry, which is the highest of any returning back in the North division. Castille was the third back most of the season, but rushed for 125 yards in the Gator Bowl.

Replacing Joe Ganz at quarterback will be junior Zac Lee. Lee, who played sparingly last season, might be Nebraska's most talented quarterback since Eric Crouch. At San Francisco City College in 2006, Lee threw for over 3400 yards and 35 touchdowns. Lee is mobile as well, with 4.6 speed.

Nebraska's top returning receiver is tight end Mike McNeill, who'll probably be the best tight end in the conference not named Jermaine Gresham. Menelik Holt and Niles Paul look to be the top two wide receivers in 2009. Holt was hampered by a knee injury that caused him to miss most of four games last season. Paul's biggest contributions to date have been on kick returns, with an 85 yard touchdown return against San Jose State last season. A group of inexperienced but talented receivers will fight for playing time and to fill out the remaining positions.

Three starters return up front, including honorable mention all-Big XII center Jacob Hickman, who may move to guard this season. Juniors Keith Williams and Mike Smith return to anchor the left side of the line. If Hickman moves to right guard, sophomore Mike Caputo will take over at center. Other candidates for the right side include tackle Marcel Jones and guards D.J. Jones and Ricky Henry.

Defense

The defense is lead by pre-season All-American defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who is also a top-ten NFL draft prospect. The defense will be dependent upon Suh to make plays or occupy enough blockers to make them better. Expect sophomore Jared Crick to start alongside Suh, with redshirt freshman Baker Steinkuhler in the rotation.

Defensive end Barry Turner returns this season after breaking his leg in early 2008. Pierre Allen did an excellent job filling in his position last season. Between Suh, Crick, Turner and Allen, Nebraska's defensive line should be one of the best in the conference this season.

At linebacker, no fewer than ten players are fighting for three starting positions. Phillip Dillard returns as the most experienced of the bunch, but after a lackluster spring must fight his way back into the starting rotation. Pelini has so far refused to name starters to keep the competition going, but you could expect redshirt freshmen Will Compton and Sean Fisher to win some starts, along with sophomore Matthew May.

The secondary returns with much more depth than the previous season. Prince Amukamara and Anthony West return as starters at the corners. Anthony Blue returns after sitting out 2008 with a knee injury. Lance Thorrell should reprise his role in the dime package. Larry Asante is the top returning starter at safety, and should make the All-Big 12 list by the end of the season. Eric Hagg should keep his spot as the other starting safety, splitting time with Matt O'Hanlon. Rickey Thenarse must have a good fall camp to fight off redshirt freshmen Courtney Osborne and P.J. Smith. The defensive secondary had too many break downs last season, but that should be much improved this year.

In a single season, Bo Pelini turned around a defense that finished near the bottom of the nation in several categories, and had them playing well enough to finish as one of the top defenses in the Big 12 by season's end. With a year of understanding Pelini's system behind them, expect the Blackshirt defense to become the bright spot for Husker fans this season.

Special Teams

Alex Henery returns as one of the most accurate kickers in the nation. In 2008, Henery went 18-21 in field goals and made 56 of 57 PATs. The Huskers will have to replace holder Jake Wesch and long snapper T.J. O'Leary, who have handled those duties over the past three seasons.

Kickoff specialist Adi Kunalic returns after finishing fifth the nation in touchbacks last season, giving the Huskers a formidable weapon in the kicking game. Henery may pull double duty and handle punting duty, a task for which he was originally recruited.

Nate Swift was the team's primary punter last season and must be replaced after having moved on this season. Niles Paul showed some promise returning punts, and should be more consistent this season. Newcomers Rex Burkhead and Antonio Bell will be considered as will redshirt freshman Tim Marlowe.

Niles Paul looks likely to replay his role as a kick returner after having a decent year in 2008. Two of the top five plays last season were Paul kick returns, including a 85-yard touchdown return against San Jose State. Alfonzo Dennard was one of only three true freshman to play last season and should handle return duties again this season. Sophomore Curenski Gilleylen and newcomers Burkhead and Antonio Bell may get their chance as well.

Kickoff coverage must get better as Nebraska finished 105th in the nation in last season. Watch for Bo Pelini to include some talented newcomers to the coverage team this season as the Huskers look for every edge possible to win the Big 12 North.

Key Losses

Joe Ganz, QB - The former bench warmer that nobody believed in until Sam Keller injured his collarbone. He came in and promptly put up three straight 400 yard games and showed a gritty resolve that endeared him to Husker fans. He leaves after setting 23 school records, including season records for passing yardage.

Nate Swift, WR - Departs as the Huskers record holder for career receptions, and ranks second for yards receiving all-time. Some might consider him a "possession" receiver, but he also had decent speed. In his senior season, he ranked 2nd in the Big XII and eighth nationally in punt returns.

Todd Peterson, WR - Along with Swift, gave Joe Ganz two dependable receivers. The pair combined for 125 receptions and over 1,700 yards.

Marlon Lucky, IB - The former five-star recruit never quite lived up to the hype from his high school days, but was a versatile weapon in all facets of the passing game.

Matt Slauson, OL - The anchor of the Husker offensive line the last few years, Slauson was drafted in the 6th round by the New York Jets, where he'll be reunited with Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan.

Lydon Murtha, OL - Murtha was an enigma for the Huskers, as he had all of the measurables to be an impressive offensive line prospect, but never developed the consistency to be that dominant lineman that some projected. The Detroit Lions were impressed enough to take him in the seventh round of the NFL draft.

Zach Potter, DE - Potter became a dominant end in his final two seasons, showing a knack for deflecting passes and kicks. Last season, he blocked three kicks and deflected two passes to Ndamukong Suh, who returned both for touchdowns.

Ty Steinkuhler, DT - Steinkuhler was a bit of an unsung hero until the Gator Bowl last season. His presence prevented offenses from double-teaming Ndamukong Suh, as Clemson quickly learned.

Armando Murillo, CB - Nebraska's lone loss in the secondary, he was the Huskers most consistent performer in the secondary.

Dan Titchener, P - Three year starter who averaged 39.9 yards per punt in his career.

Newcomers

Pelini has already shown his penchant for retaining redshirts, so you shouldn't expect to see a lot of brand new faces this year.

Baker Steinkuhler, DT - Another Steinkuhler, the departing Ty's little brother. Should see plenty of playing time this season.

Will Compton, LB - the most likely middle linebacker of the future for the Blackshirt defense.

Sean Fisher, LB - having a break-out fall camp, should be expected to get a lot of starts this season.

Rex Burkhead, RB/KR/PR/? - Burkhead was a ‘do everything' guy in in high school, playing running back, quarterback, receiver, returning punts and kicks, along with taking out the trash. Truly a versatile player, probably too skilled to remain on the sideline this season as a true freshman.

Antonio Bell & Brandon Kinnie, WR - A pair of young wide receivers that should make some contributions and break into the starting rotation by the end of the season.

Big 12 Projected Order Of Finish:

North

Nebraska
Kansas
Colorado
Missouri
Iowa State
Kansas State

South
Oklahoma
Texas
Oklahoma State
Texas Tech
Baylor
Texas A&M

2009 Opponent Previews

Atlantic Owls
Arkansas St. Red Wolves
Virginia Tech Hokies
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns
Missouri Tigers
Texas Tech Red Raiders owa St. Cyclones
Baylor Bears
Oklahoma Sooners
Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas St. Wildcats
Colorado Buffaloes

Countdown to Husker Football Season: #19 - Quentin Castille Will Pack A Big Load This Season

Jon Johnston — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:52:45 -0000

#19 comes to you by way of our ‘backup' running back - Quentin Castille. Castille enters his junior season having already played quite a bit during his first two seasons. As a sophomore last season he was the third-leading rusher behind Roy Helu Jr and Marlon Lucky. As a freshman, Castille was the second-leading rusher behind Marlon Lucky.

With the 2009 Huskers starting a new quarterback, you can bet that Castille will be a huge part of every game plan going into this season. It is imperative that Nebraska establish a strong running game early in the season, and Castille provides a perfect complement to starting running back Roy Helu Jr. Castille does not have Helu's break-away speed, as is evident in the video on the next page, but he is a more powerful back than Helu and hasn't had issues with injuries.

After the jump - the video may take a while to load - which is why it's not on the main page.

Castille has progressed significantly over the past two seasons - when he arrived at Nebraska he was primarily seen (and used) as a power back for goal line and short yardage situations. He proved himself capable of being a featured back when he took over full-time duties in last year's Gator Bowl against Clemson after both Marlon Lucky and Roy Helu were sidelined due to injury. Castille's two long runs of 58 and 40 yards were responsible for setting up ten of the Husker's points in the 26-21 come from behind win. His 20-yard pass reception came on a third and long play - Joe Ganz found Castille as a check down receiver, and Castille did the rest to pick up the first down. Those three plays alone show how far Castille has progressed as a back.

The greatest thing about Castille is that he's the backup. The fact that the Huskers have a backup who has two seasons left and has shown the abilities that he has bodes well for the running game this coming season.

(Clips were taken from last season's Gator Bowl DVD as part of the 2008 season package from bestofbigred.com. Clips require the Quicktime plug in.)

I look for great things from Castille this season. He's consistently improved his game, become a complete back, and shown the toughness required for his position. I have a hunch that he'll have a better season than Helu. I'm curious as to whether CN readers care to make any predictions about his 2009 season.....?

Husker Quarterback: Zac Lee's Backup? Kody Spano - The Man No One Knows

Jon Johnston — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:59:26 -0000

More photos » by DAVE WEAVER - AP

Nebraska quarterback Cody Green, a freshman from Dayton, Texas, throws a football on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. during the first day of fall training camp in Lincoln, Neb. Ideally, a redshirt season is in the works for Green.

Browse more photos »

While the Husker coaches haven't officially named a starter yet, there's little doubt that it's going to be Zac Lee. It doesn't leave for a lot of drama, and that's not such a bad thing considering the players the Huskers have to replace from last year's record-setting offense. Lee doesn't have much experience, having played in only two games and attempted two passes with one completion. Lee does have the benefit of having been around long enough to learn Shawn Watson's offense, and the buzz is that he's more athletic than Joe Ganz. Of course, that's easy to say - just like voting for the politician who doesn't have a track record.

Kody Spano is the guy no one talks about. Ideally, Spano plays well enough to win the backup role. He came into the program without a lot of fanfare after being the only quarterback in Bo Pelini's initial recruiting class. He sat out his freshman year, taking a redshirt season. He suffered a knee injury in the spring so no one got to see him in the Red White Spring Game. He has had a year to learn the offense, while at the same time is somewhat of an enigma because he is the only Nebraska quarterback that fans haven't seen play. There is no buzz about him. Fans don't talk about his speed or his abilities as a dual-threat quarterback. They don't talk about his arm - hell, fans don't talk about him at all.

Cody Green arrived on campus early to much fanfare last spring and LaTravis Washington received a lot of press because of his switch from linebacker. Both played reasonably well in the spring game, with Washington completing 21 of 31 passes for 190 yards. Washington is the wildcard here - recall the comments during spring practice about how strong his arm is and that the receivers were complaining about how hard he threw the ball. If we know something about the other three, we know absolutely nothing about Spano.

The key with Washington is that he doesn't need to learn the whole offense to be effective as a quarterback. Consider the "ducky" formation in which Ndamukong Suh lined up at fullback, or the Joker formation which featured Marlon Lucky lined up at quarterback and you get an idea of what I'm talking about. Plug in a few plays for Washington, and he'll be a contributor. Expecting a lot more out of him than that is folly.

An ideal situation for Cody Green is that 2009 is a redshirt season, giving him time to further develop and fully learn the offense. Pelini has already shown a desire to hold players back until he needs them, but the question is whether or not the two potential backups, Spano and Washington are capable of running the offense between them. There is o the idea that recruits might find it attractive that Pelini would allow a freshman to play quarterback, but if it doesn't fit into Pelini's overall philosophy for his program, then it's a stupid idea, isn't it?

Let's play devil's advocate and say Zac Lee has a bad day at Missouri. Will Bo Pelini let him play through it, knowing his young quarterback is going to have to make his share of mistakes to learn, or will he sit him and put someone else in to assure a victory in a critical game in the North. If Pelini puts someone else in, why wouldn't it be Spano?

Texas Tech Opponent Prospectus // Nebraska Cornhuskers

Seth C — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:00:10 -0000

2009 Texas Tech Opponent Prospectus

Game 1: North Dakota Fighting Sioux // Game 2: Rice Owls // Game 3: Texas Longhorns // Game 4: Houston Cougars // Game 5: New Mexico Lobos // Game 6: Kansas State Wildcats // Game 7: Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Cornhuskers are in year two of the Bo Pelini experience and from all accounts, Nebraska appears to be headed on the right path. Most are picking Nebraska to win the Big 12 North, which would be an impressive feat for just about anyone in their second year rebuilding a program. I can't say that I followed the Nebraska program as close as others, but from all accounts, Bill Callahan left the Nebraska program in shambles and Pelini has done an excellent job of getting back to "Nebraska football" which I think is great for the Big 12.

Join me after the jump for a closer look at Nebraska.

General Information

Opponent	University of Nebraska
Nickname	Cornhuskers
Location	Lincoln, NB
Enrollment	17,371 (Undergraduates)
Conference	Big 12
Head Coach	Bo Pelini
2008 Record	9-4 (5-3)
Starters Returning/Lost	13/9
Blogs	Corn Nation Big Red Network Double Extra Point
Links	2009 Roster 2009 Spring Fan Guide

Statistics


Statistic	Nebraska	Texas Tech
Pass Offense	281.00 (15)	413.15 (1)
Rush Offense	169.77 (37)	117.84 (94)
Total Offense	450.77 (12)	531.00 (4)
Scoring Offense	35.38 (17)	43.77 (3)
Pass Efficiency	154.46 (15)	158.76 (9)
Sacks Allowed	1.62 (43)	1.00 (4)
Pass Defense	233.38 (89)	242.23 (94)
Rush Defense	116.46 (21)	140.38 (61)
Total Defense	349.85 (55)	382.62 (79)
Scoring Defense	28.54 (80)	27.85 (74)
Pass Efficiency Defense	133.95 (82)	130.56 (72)
Sacks	2.69 (14)	2.62 (18)
Tackles For Loss	6.31 (40)	4.85 (95)
Turnover Margin	-0.85 (107)	0.62 (22)

Top Returners

Category	Player
Rushing	Roy Helu, Jr. (125 / 803 yds / 7 TD)
Passing	Zac Lee (1-2 / 5 yds / 0 TD / 0 Int)
Receiving	Mike McNeill (632 rec. / 442 yds / 6 TD)
Tackles	Ndamukong Suh (76)
Sacks	Ndamukong Suh (7.5)
Interceptions	Ndamukong Suh and Anthony West(2)

A Few Things

Quarterbacking: It's not a stretch to say that there's not a ton of experience at the quarterback position. It appears that Zac Lee is going to be the starting in 2009 and I think it's safe to say that two passes does not constitute a lot of time on the field. That certainly doesn't mean that Lee can't play, but rather, Nebraska is one of a few Big 12 North teams (Missouri and Kansas State off the top of my head) replacing a quarterback this year. Lee was pretty good in the Nebraska spring game, and I'd be willing to bet that NU is going to take advantage of the short to intermediate passes, until Lee gets fully acclimated.
Suh Does It All: There's a reason that Ndamukong Suh was voted as the preseason defensive player of the year. When you lead your team in almost every statistical category, you're doing pretty good. The guy is flat-out dominant, and although the interior of the Texas Tech line generally does a pretty good job, Suh is going to be the player to watch for in in the 2009 game.
Finding Receivers: Nebraksa also faces the task of replacing their top two receivers from last year in Nate Swift (63 / 941 / 10 TD) and Todd Peterson (62 / 786 / 4). That's quite a bit of production to replace and I thought they were perfect receivers for Nebraska's passing offense in that they were tall, lanky guys that were all about keeping the chains moving. The 14 touchdowns are going to be difficult to replace, and NU's biggest returning receiver is TE Mike McNeill, who may is certainly one of the best tight ends in the Big 12.
I Think Nebraska is Just Fine at Running Back: Nebraska loses Marlon Lucky, who rushed for 517 yards and 7 touchdowns, but I don't think there's much to be concerned about as returning rusher Roy Helu, Jr. (839 yds; 7 TD) and Quentin Castille (467 yds; 6 TD) represents a formidable 1-2 punch. Castille looks to have some fairly serious break away speed as he averaged over 4 yards a carry, but in games where Castille had some opportunity, he produced, including games of 125 yards against Clemson.
Surprising TO Margin: I never would have guessed that Nebraska was this deficient in the turnover category, 107th in the nation. I would guess that this is something that's going to change this year. The surprising statistic is that the Cornhuskers dropped 17 fumbles on the carpet in 2008, which is a ton. I can't imagine that this trend will continue in 2009, and although Ganz threw 11 interceptions, I don't think he was the problem.
Replacing LB's: It doesn't take a seasoned blogger to notice that Nebraska has over twenty linebackers on their opening roster. That's just crazy. It appears that Nebraska will be replacing some depth at linebacker, but when you have over twenty possible replacements, I don't think that finding candidates will prove to be that difficult. Besides, for a team that was 21st in rush defense, this is likely to be an area where Nebraska will be just fine.

Poll

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most worried and 1 being the least worried, how worried are you about the Nebraska Cornhuskers?

1

19 votes

2

45 votes

3

107 votes

4

161 votes

5

139 votes

471 votes | Poll has closed

Nebraska: Beyond the Box Score Preseason Offensive Preview

Bill C. — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:00:19 -0000

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

Is Bo Pelini ready for Year #5 expectations in Year #2?

Browse more photos »

Confused? Catch up with the BTBS Primer.

Alright, through the non-conference slate, the BTBS Projections (which had none of my own biases in them whatsoever--I actually downgraded Mizzou's initial status in the original projections) have Missouri heading into conference play at 4-0, albeit with tight victories over Illinois and Nevada. As they head into their first weeknight ESPN home game since 1992's 6-0 loss to Colorado, Mizzou could either be primed for another North title run or ready for a stiff reality check to head into town. Or, you know, they could be 2-2 and desperate. We'll see. First up in conference, for the third straight year, are the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I'm bringing my A-game for this one (as I'm sure Missouri will too)--time to go waaaaaaaaaaaay beyond the box score.

With 1:43 left in the Colorado-Nebraska game, Alex Henery booted a beyond-clutch 57-yard field goal to give Nebraska a 33-31 lead. Forty-five seconds later, Ndamukong Suh intercepted a Cody Hawkins pass and took it to the house for the game-clinching TD in a 40-31 win. If Henery had missed that field goal, Nebraska would have likely lost and fallen to 7-5; they probably wouldn't have qualified for the Gator Bowl, and without the proceeding win over Clemson upon which to build, would the expectations for 2009 have been quite as high? Did the killer kick from Henery change the landscape of the 2009 preseason?

However it happened, here we are. Instead of a predominant "Is this the Jayhawks' time?" offseason storyline, most eyes have been on the Huskers. They're back! Ndamukong Suh! Blackshirts! Domination! (Of course, the cynical Missouri fan in me says the "They're back!" storyline would have been the same if they'd gone 0-12 last year--they're always 'almost back.' But I'm turning over a new leaf and trying to leave cynicism out of this...as much as I can, anyway). Instead of continuing to slowly build the program over time, Bo Pelini is now expected to produce a Top 15-20 team and North champion in Year #2.

Without further adieu, let's dive into our two-day, far-too-detailed look at Pelini's Huskers.

2008

Record: 9-4 (5-3)
S&P+: #21
Scoring Margin: 460-371 (+89)
Conference Scoring Margin: 284-272 (+12)
Wins (S&P+ Ranking in parentheses): #20 Kansas, #30 Clemson, #40 Baylor, #79 Kansas State, #82 Colorado, #101 San Jose State, #104 Iowa State, #106 Western Michigan, #110 New Mexico State
Losses: #3 Oklahoma, #10 Missouri, #15 Texas Tech, #41 Virginia Tech

Nebraska faced a whopping four teams ranked #100 or lower and went just 3-4 against teams in the Top 50. Their capstone wins were at home over #20 Kansas and in Jacksonville against #30 Clemson. In their two games against the S&P+ Top 10, they were outscored 114-45. But it's all about momentum (at least as far as offseason narratives go), and Nebraska has it. They won six of their last seven, and while they didn't beat a marquee team in that time, they did take out three in the Top 40 (KU, Clemson, Baylor). While it's probably true that Henery's kick against #82 Colorado sent expectations through the stratosphere, there's no denying that Nebraska has some things going for them. The nine wins were more than most people expected for 2008 (though not me, ahem), and a lot more is expected in 2009.

Coaching

Head Coach: Bo Pelini
Record at Nebraska: 9-4 (conference: 5-3)
Career Pythagorean Record (explained further down): +1.25 wins (+1.25/year)

A former co-captain and starting free safety for Ohio State (his senior season was Kirk Herbstreit's redshirt freshman season--I point this out only because I can), Bo Pelini has pretty quickly built a solid career for himself. After bouncing around at the grad assistant level for a few years, he made the move to NFL positions coach. He started with the 49ers (DBs coach, 1994-96), then moved to the Pats (LBs, 1997-99) and Packers (LBs, 2000-02). In 2003, he broke into the college ranks by taking over as Defensive Coordinator for Frank Solich's final Nebraska team. Solich was let go, and after a year as co-coordinator at OU, he spent three seasons as DC in Baton Rouge before taking the NU job last year. That's a pretty steady progression.

So how good was Pelini as a defensive coordinator? To gauge that, we can't simply look at his defenses' stats--we also have to compare it to something of a baseline for defensive performance at the schools he coached. So for his three DC gigs, we're going to compare his defenses' performances to the performance of those schools before and after his time.

Nebraska. In 2003, Nebraska gave up 14.5 points and 297.2 yards per game, allowed 4.4 yards per play, and forced an insane 3.5 turnovers per game (granted, 14 turnovers came in three games against Oklahoma State, Southern Miss and Troy, but that's still an impressive total). In the four seasons surrounding Pelini's one year in Lincoln, the Blackshirts gave up 21.9 points and 338.5 yards per game, allowed 4.7 yards per play, and forced 1.8 turnovers per game. Clearly Pelini's '03 unit was better than the others Solich or Bill Callahan produced around that time. (And you wonder why NU fans thought Pelini was an unbelievably great coach.)

Oklahoma. In 2004, Oklahoma gave up 16.8 points and 299.0 yards per game, allowed 4.8 yards per play, and forced 1.7 turnovers per game. In the four seasons sandwiching his one year in Norman, the Sooners gave up 18.8 points and 297.6 yards per game, allowed 4.6 yards per play, and forced 2.2 turnovers per game. This was a strange situation--he was a co-coordinator, and he was replacing the head coach's brother. His 2004 defense was really no better or worse than the typical Sooner defense (they gave up a couple fewer points, more yards per play, and forced fewer turnovers). Not surprisingly, he left after one season to take over another big-time defense and remove the "Co-" from his title.

LSU. From 2005-07, LSU gave up 15.7 points and 266.7 yards per game, allowed 4.2 yards per play, and forced 1.8 turnovers per game. In the four seasons sandwiching his time there, the Bayou Bengals gave up 17.5 points and 280.2 yards per game, allowed 4.4 yards per play, and forced 1.9 turnovers per game.

Aside from the 2003 turnovers outlier (if Pelini had been there five years, you know they wouldn't have forced 3.5 turnovers per game that whole time--it would have come back down toward the 2.0 range), you do get a pretty good read of a Pelini defense. They're going to give up the expected (and respectable) number of yards, but they also seem able to make the big plays in preventing points. Whether that's just timely blitzes in the red zone or something else, preventing points clearly is a pretty good idea (brilliant analysis, I know), and Pelini's defenses generally knew how to do it.

After five seasons of being a pretty good defensive coordinator, Pelini took the Nebraska job vacated by Bill Callahan. In season #1, the Huskers managed 9 wins despite a Pythagorean projection of just 7.75 wins, so well done there too. Usually a team overachieving its projection that much probably managed to win a series of close games, but Nebraska actually went only 1-2 in games decided by a touchdown or less, so...not sure. Really, the projections were probably crazy because they got crushed so badly by Oklahoma and Missouri and it skewed the reliability of the projection. Anyway, I'm not going to think too hard about it. We'll see how his Pythagorean record shapes up after at least a couple more years of data.

Offense

So we've talked a lot about the typical Pelini defense. What did the Pelini offense do in 2008, and what can we expect in 2009?

Overall Stats

S&P+: 119.9 (#18)
Success Rate+: 116.6 (#13)
PPP+: 124.3 (#20)

Standard Downs S&P+: 120.1 (#13)
Passing Downs S&P+: 119.1 (#25)

Redzone S&P+: 117.3 (#22)

Q1 S&P+: 123.8 (#22)
Q2 S&P+: 115.6 (#27)
Q3 S&P+: 123.9 (#17)
Q4 S&P+: 124.4 (#11)

1st Down S&P+: 128.0 (#10)
2nd Down S&P+: 111.9 (#38)
3rd Down S&P+: 123.9 (#22)

Rushing Stats

Rushing S&P+: 107.1 (#50)
Rushing SR+: 104.0 (#55)
Rushing PPP+: 112.1 (#50)

Standard Downs: 111.7 (#35)
Passing Downs: 84.9 (#102)

Redzone: 94.2 (#87)

Line Yards+: 96.1 (#81)

Passing Stats

Passing S&P+: 131.3 (#10)
Passing SR+: 129.9 (#8)
Passing PPP+: 113.1 (#15)

Standard Downs: 132.9 (#6)
Passing Downs: 130.0 (#17)

Redzone: 163.8 (#4)

Adj. Sack Rate: 4.9% (#40)

In all, Nebraska ended up putting together strong offensive numbers in 2008, better than some would expect. Because of Pelini's reputation and the ongoing "BLACKSHIRTS!!" narrative this offseason, it's assumed that the NU defense runs the show--not true. NU's defensive numbers were decent but far from dominant; meanwhile, they had a Top 20 offense. (Of course, this is a problem since they lost much more on offense than defense.)

NU's numbers here don't have a whole lot of crazy variation, but there is one in particular--while their Passing Downs performance was worse than Standard Downs performance across the board, they were severely lacking in terms of rushing on Passing Downs. What that says is, if they ran the ball on, say, 2nd-and-8, they were not picking up enough yards to avoid a 3rd-and-long.

Here are some other points of interest:

For the most part, their offense got better as the game progressed, from #20-30 in the first half to #10-20 in the second. They were best in the fourth quarter, and if that's because of the system, or the offensive line, or the running backs, that could mean great things for 2009. If it was more because of Joe Ganz or Nate Swift and Todd Peterson, that could be much less encouraging.
Their red zone passing was outstanding, and their red zone rushing was terrible. Strange. Though it also throws a little water on the "Quentin Castille = great short-yardage runner" theory. And again, if this was because of Ganz-to-Swift/Peterson, that could be a red flag.
Another interesting split: NU's O-line was #40 in preventing sacks (though that could have been somewhat due to Ganz's scrambling abilities) but only #81 in line yards. The 2009 O-line should be about the same as 2008, potentially a bit better, so NU's success in 2009 could hinge on whether Zac Lee is as elusive as Ganz.

Quarterback

Zac Lee is the default #1.

2008 Unit Ranking: #13 in the nation (#5 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
Zac Lee (6'2, 210, Jr.)
Latravis Washington (6'3, 225, Jr.)
Kody Spano (6'2, 215. RSFr.)

A former 4-star JUCO recruit, Lee won the battle for starting QB, in part, by sticking around. Entering the spring, Patrick Witt was seen as the slight favorite to win the starting job, by the end of the spring, he had announced that he was transferring. So that left the job to the winner of a contest between, basically, Lee and converted defender Latravis Washington. From what I read, Washington has nice arm strength and running ability (he was a QB in high school), but...well, in general you have to hope that your starting quarterback was actually playing quarterback twelve months earlier, not linebacker. So in the end, it was probably a relief that Lee won the job--he had a tremendous spring game, and while we've all come to notice how one performance in the spring game is taken more seriously than all other spring practices combined (just ask Blaine Gabbert), it does seem like he performed well enough in the spring that there is a legitimate amount of optimism in how he'll handle the job once the real season starts.

As mentioned above, the key to his success could be his elusiveness. Joe Ganz was able to extend coverage on a lot of plays by avoiding the pass rush and creating things outside the pocket. NU's offensive line was not too tremendous, and he possibly made them look better by avoiding sacks. If this is true, then Lee will need to do the same in 2009.

In the end, Lee shapes up to be anywhere between the #2 and #5 QB in the North, depending on both how he performs and how another newbie QB performs--one-time Nebraska commitment Blaine Gabbert.

Running Backs

Most hope pinned on the NU offense is because of this guy.

2008 Unit Ranking: #20 in the nation (#3 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
Roy Helu, Jr. (6'0, 215, Jr.)
Quentin Castille (6'1, 235, Jr.)
Collins Okafor (6'1, 225, RSFr.)

Taking poor line yardage figures into account, NU's running backs were quite strong in 2008, and they should be even better in 2009. Marlon Lucky was the go-to guy heading into the season, but he just didn't do anything on the field to keep from losing a large percentage of his carries to Roy Helu, Jr. (being injury-prone didn't help). Using the Points Over Expected (POE) measure, Lucky's 2008 carries generated 2.7 points fewer than would have been expected against given opponents (164th among 267 eligible FCS backs). Meanwhile, Helu generated 14.9 points over expected, good for 30th in the country and 6th in the Big 12 behind Kendall Hunter (5th), Chris Brown (8th), Derrick Washington (15th), DeMarco Murray (26th), and Keith Toston (27th). The third guy in the backfield, Quentin Castille, was almost exactly average, generating 1.7 POE.

(It should be noted that Lucky was also the #13 receiving RB according to POE, 2nd in the conference behind DeMarco Murray. Helu was #53, 9th in the conference.)

In the end, Helu took 125 carries, Lucky 125, and Castille 106. Simply splitting Lucky's carries among Helu and castille could generate between 10 and 15 extra EqPts for NU in 2009. That's really not too much to ask from the two, as that would only put Helu up to about 16 carries per game and Castille 14. Honestly, I don't think much of Castille, so the more carries to Helu, the better for Nebraska. The other question, of course, is can somebody like Collins Okafor break into the rotation?

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

Jeremy Maclin's high school teammate, Mike McNeill

2008 Unit Ranking: #27 in the nation (#6 in the Big 12)

Projected WR Depth Chart
Menelik Holt (6'4, 220, Sr.)
Niles Paul (6'1, 215, Jr.)
Curenski Gilleylen (6'0, 220, So.)
Chris Brooks (6'2, 215, Sr.)
Will Henry (6'5, 215, Jr.)
Khiry Cooper (6'2, 195, RSFr.)

Projected TE Depth Chart
Mike McNeill (6'4, 240, Jr.)
Dreu Young (6'4, 245, Jr.)
Ryan Hill (6'3, 250, So.)

In 2008, Nate Swift and Todd Peterson combined for 125 catches, 1,727 yards, and 14 touchdowns. Meanwhile, the six names on the above WR depth chart combined for 57 catches, 607 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Looking at POE, Swift and Peterson were +29.5, everybody else -7.5.

In other words, the passing game could be pretty iffy in 2009. Now, certainly this receiving corps is more highly-touted from a recruiting perspective, but they have not yet produced, and considering there are two seniors and two juniors there, they've had plenty of opportunities already. Swift in partcular was quite solid, ranking 35th among 411 eligible receivers in POE, 7th in conference and ahead of Michael Crabtree (39th), Jordan Shipley (52nd), and Quan Cosby (100th).

But he's gone. The good news for Nebraska is, there are quite a few candidates for becoming Zac Lee's go-to receiver; the bad news, of course, is there's no guarantee that one will emerge. Menelik Holt has good size but was -1.8 POE (320th in the country). Niles Paul is a solid threat in kick returns but produced -5.7 POE (382nd, third-from-last in the conference ahead of just CU's Patrick Williams and ISU's Darius Darks). Curenski Gilleylen passed up a Mizzou offer to play for the Huskers but produced only 11 yards in two catches last year.

Then there's Chris Brooks, a former 4-star recruit from Hazelwood East (and Mizzou commit), ranked ahead of Chase Coffman, Brock Christopher, Kurtis Gregory, Justin Thornton, Jaron Baston, and Jairus Byrd in Rivals.com's 2005 State of MO rankings. Three seasons in Lincoln have produced three catches and 31 yards. He had himself a nice spring, even catching a touchdown pass in the Red-White Game, but...well, there isn't a very nice way to say this, but if Brooks is one of your top receivers, at this point in his career, that probably means that your receiving corps isn't very good. He's had plenty of time to distinguish himself and hasn't; and with little time on the field to date, it's not tremendously likely that his experience can lead to the latest of late-career breakthroughs...at least not much of one. Never say never, of course, but it's not likely.

The bright spot, however, comes at tight end. Every new QB can use a bailout option at the TE position (Mizzou fans are banking on Andrew Jones becoming just that for Blaine Gabbert), and junior Mike McNeill looks like a pretty nice bailout. He and Helu out of the backfield can allow the Huskers to pick up some yards while remaining conservative and letting Lee grow more confident. Jeremy Maclin's former high school teammate would have looked really good in black and gold.

Offensive Line

Jacob Hickman is one of the conference's better centers. Of course, now he's playing guard.

2008 Unit Ranking: #61 in the nation (#8 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
G Jacob Hickman (6'4, 295, Sr.)
T Mike Smith (6'6, 290, Jr.)
G Keith Williams (6'5, 320, Jr.)
T Marcel Jones (6'7, 310, So.)
C Mike Caputo (6'1, 275, So.)
G Ricky Henry (6'4, 300, Jr.)
G DJ Jones (6'5, 315, Jr.)
G Andy Christensen (6'3, 310, Sr.)
T Jaivorio Burkes (6'5, 295, Jr.)
T Brandon Thompson (6'6, 300, RSFr.)

Here's where my own stats confuse me. With good rushing stats and decent sack totals, it seems like NU would have had a pretty good line in 2008. But the line yards measure--not a perfect stat, obviously, but a pretty good one--credited most of NU's rushing yards to the backs, and it really is likely that Ganz's scrambling ability (just think of how much he was on the run against Missouri) bailed the line out of some pretty poor sack numbers. In the end, NU's line ranked poorly, below Iowa State (60th), Kent State (53rd), Southern Miss (51st) and Marshall (50th).

It appears that Bo Pelini knew that his line wasn't too hot--he did a decent amount of shuffling this spring. The result is a line that has potential quality at the guard positions but inexperience at center and shakiness on the outside. Their 61 career starts rank fifth in the conference, but solid experience on a mediocre line isn't as impressive as a smidge less experience on a really good line. With a new QB, new receivers (who may, in theory, take longer to get open), and a unit or RBs who had to create a lot on their own in 2008, the offensive line could be the linchpin of the Nebraska offense.

Summary

If you believe that NU's defense is going to be outstanding in 2009 (maybe, maybe not--we'll talk about this tomorrow), then the offense only needs to be serviceable to win the Huskers some games in the Big 12 North. By all means, there is enough talent here--particularly in Helu, McNeill, Hickman, and potentially Lee--to put some points on the board, but we'll see. The offensive line is relatively experienced but shaky, and the WR corps is the exact opposite of proven. If NU can't avoid passing downs, and if the passing threat isn't enough to prevent defenses from keying on Helu, then this unit could go downhill in a hurry. On potential, Nebraska could have the 2nd- or 3rd-best offense in the North, but some players--Holt, Paul, Jones, Caputo--will need to step up their games for that to happen.

Tomorrow: the defense.

Huskers Must Find Third Running Back To Compliment Helu, Castille

Jon Johnston — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:00:26 -0000

More photos » by Nati Harnik - AP

8 months ago: In this Saturday, April 18, 2009 photo, Nebraska's running back Austin Jones carries the ball during the annual Nebraska Red-White spring college football game in Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini says the Huskers can have a formidable running game this fall if running backs behind Roy Helu Jr. and Quentin Castille develop like he hopes.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Browse more photos »

As we continue through the off-season, I’d like you to note something about the articles that have been written (and will be) about our running back tandem of Roy Helu and Quentin Castille. The articles will include a disclaimer pointing to the health of these two players, particularly Helu. For example, a couple days ago Steve Hanway at Big Red Network used the term "A healthy Helu" when talking about the stats Helu could rack up running the ball this season. On May 28th, Tim Griffin did a piece on which Big 12 position units had talent. In it, he included the Husker tandem, complete with disclaimer:

Nebraska's running backs: With unproven Zac Lee starting at quarterback, look for Shawn Watson to lean heavily on a pair of talented returning backs. Quentin Castille trimmed about 20 pounds to get into better shape and leading returning rusher Roy Helu Jr. boosted his weight by 24 pounds to become a more powerful rusher between the tackles. Together, it wouldn't be a stretch that the two backs could combine for 2,000 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns if both can stay healthy. (emphasis mine)

Even though the Big 12 was considered a ‘pass-happy’ conference last season there were plenty of running back injuries. Oklahoma’s DeMarco Murray injured his hamstring in the Big 12 title game and missed the national title game. Colorado lost both Darrell Scott and Rodney "Speedy" Stewart. Missouri’s Derrick Washington was slowed by injuries. Texas Tech lost backup Aaron Crawford, who missed ten games due to a foot injury.

The Huskers weren’t immune, as last season Marlon Lucky was hampered by turf toe, which caused him to miss the Colorado game and be ineffective in the Gator Bowl. Helu was slowed by a shoulder injury early in the season, then missed most of the Gator Bowl due to a knee infection. On top of that, he suffered a hamstring injury in the spring and missed the Red White spring game.

All of this adds up to the fact there’s a good chance that both Helu and Castille won’t make it through the season in one piece. That the pair will regularly be hit by 300 pound-plus defensive linemen, so it doesn't take a great football mind to understnd why. Therefore, it's imperative that the Huskers find a third back to fit into the rotation. It's especially important considering Nebraska will need to count on a strong running game until Zac Lee becomes comfortable running the offense.

There is talent available, but behind Helu and Castille are two redshirt freshmen and a walk-on sophomore, Lester Ward, Collins Okafor and Austin Jones, respectively. None have a career carry, which means we know nothing about how they're going to do once they get on the field.

All three looked good in the spring game. In fact, walk-on sophomore Austin Jones looked pretty decent in last year's spring game, but that didn't translate into a single carry in 2008. Ward and Okafor may make a good combination, as Ward is more of a power back, while Okafor provides some slash, drive, and vision. Rex Burkhead is the wildcard coming into the season. A new Husker recruit, Burkhead has already proven he can be a complete back as he played running back, receiver, quarterback and defensive back in high school.

The schedule sets up well to provide some game day experience. Florida Atlantic has some decent talent on offense and in the defensive secondary, but they're replacing six of their front seven on defense, which means Nebraska should be able to run the ball effectively. Arkansas State will come to town with a decent defensive line, but one that is susceptible to being worn down as there isn't a lot of depth. This should provide the younger backs the opportunity to get some carries in a real football game.

Nebraska's goal for the 2009 season will be to win the Big 12 North. Finding a good third running back might very well be the key to accomplishing that goal.

Bengals announce undrafted free agent signings

Kirkendall — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:48:45 -0000

The Cincinnati Bengals finally announced their undrafted free agent signings. The number of players totals nine, which included those we knew about already, with Quan Crosby scheduled to arrive in Cincinnati on Friday. One of the signings is fullback Chris Pressley.

Year	GP	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	TD
2004	5	11	36	3.3	0	0	0	0
2005	12	3	5	1.7	0	0	0	0
2006	RS	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2007	13	8	56	7.0	1	2	8	1
2008	12	3	6	2.0	0	0	0	0
Totals	42	25	103	4.1	1	2	8	1

Sports Illustrated examines Pressley:

BIOGRAPHY: Part-time starter who lined up with the first team when Wisconsin used a lead blocker to begin the game. Senior rushing totals included 3/6 after 8/56/1 as a junior.

POSITIVES: Traditional lead-blocking fullback who opens big holes for the running game. Aggressive, squares into defenders, and easily controls opponents at the point of attack. Displays good blocking vision, and recognizes blitzes thrown by the defense.

NEGATIVES: Marginal athlete with limited ability in space. Lacks the speed to get out in front of ball carriers.

ANALYSIS: Pressley is a throwback at the fullback position, but he lacks the speed to have any impact in the NFL. He could catch on as a pure lead blocker if he produces on special teams this summer.

From Bengals.com

A list of the college free agents that had signed deals as of Thursday night:

Colin Dow, G, 6-5, 310; Montana, Billings, Mont.
Billy Farris, QB, 6-3, 234; Colorado State; Baton Rouge, La.
Marlon Lucky, HB, 5-11, 216; Nebraska; North Hollywood, Calif.
Rico Murray, CB, 5-11, 191; Kent State; Cincinnati, Ohio
Tom Nelson, S, 5-11, 200; Illinois State; Arlington Heights, Ill.
Greg Orton, WR, 6-3, 207; Purdue; Dayton, Ohio
Chris Pressley, FB, 5-11, 257; Wisconsin; Woodbury, N.J.
David Richmond, WR, 6-2, 197; San Jose State; Anaheim, Calif.
Dan Skuta, LB, 6-2, 251; Grand Valley State; Flint, Mich.

Greg Orton is a 6'3" wide receiver from Purdue (as if you couldn't read that above). From NFL.com

Overview

Receivers in a spread offense aren't typically 6-feet-3 and 210 pounds, but Orton's an exception to the rule. He moved the chains consistently throughout his career, averaging 65 receptions for 754 yards and four touchdowns over his three seasons as a starter.

The strength he gained through hard work during his days in West Lafayette certainly paid dividends against smaller defensive backs in college, although his lack of elite speed may make the transition to the NFL a difficult one. Had an arm span of 33 3/8 inches and a hand span of 9 1/4 inches at the combine.

High School

Ranked as No. 19 wide receiver in nation by SuperPrep ... No. 53 wide receiver in nation and No. 21 player in Ohio by Rivals.com ... first-team all-state selection as senior ... caught 65 passes for 1,058 yards (16.3 average) and nine touchdowns ... named to CBS SportsLine All-Regional team ... had 59 receptions for 782 yards (13.3 average) and 11 touchdowns his junior season ... two-time all-area and all-conference honoree ... coach was Jay Minton ... also participated in basketball and track and field.

NFL Draft Bible says that the Bengals worked out guard Colin Dow in late March. Sports Illustrated says of Dow.

BIOGRAPHY: Three-year starter awarded all-Conference honors since his sophomore campaign. Played at both center and guard with the first team.

POSITIVES: Explosive, hard-working lineman who plays with a nasty streak. Bends his knees, sets with a wide base, and quickly gets into blocks. Strong at the point, and easily controls opponents once engaged in a block. Anchors in pass protection, rides defenders from the action with good hand punch, or seals them from the play with body positioning. Keeps his head on a swivel, and works well with teammates.

NEGATIVES: Marginal skill in motion and better in a small area. Struggles to adjust and exploited by nimble defenders.

ANALYSIS: Dow is an adequately sized lineman with growth potential. He's been productive at several positions in college, and he has enough skill to make an NFL roster as a back-up lineman. Dow is a solid developmental prospect who should get better as he physically matures and fills out his frame.

Linebacker Dan Skuta could be very promising. From SI.

BIOGRAPHY: Four-year starter awarded all-Conference honors since his sophomore campaign and named GLIAC co-Defensive Lineman of the Year as a senior. Totals last season included 40/14/1 when he also intercepted one pass and broke up four more. Junior numbers included 77/17.5/11.5.

POSITIVES: Undersized college defensive lineman who projects to outside linebacker at the next level. Quick off the snap out of a three-point stance and shows speed up the field. Plays with good pad level, gets leverage on opponents and tough to handle. Works his hands throughout the action.

NEGATIVES: Easily pushed from his angle of attack by a single blocker and struggles getting off blocks once engaged by opponents. Rarely asked to make plays moving in reverse.

ANALYSIS: Skuta has been very productive rushing the passer on the Division II level. He possesses the size and speed necessary to make a move to linebacker yet must show the ability to make plays in space.

Honestly, there's nothing wrong with a linebacker that digs playing Halo and Call of Duty. Here's another feature on Skuta.

Arizona Cardinals Post Draft Coverage: Best Undrafted Free Agents

Hawkwind — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:19:30 -0000

Well the fire from the NFL draft weekend is still smoldering but today, and possibly the next couple of days, will center around the guys who did not get drafted. The Arizona Cardinals signed thirteen undrafted free agents and four of those guys are on the team right now including Ali Highsmith who was a prominent special teams player before hurting his knee midway through the season. The Cardinals could find some very useful pieces on this scrap heap but they'll have to work quickly because they're bidding against every other team in the league. We'll take a look at some of the notable names as well as update when any signings happen:

Here are some names that might ring a bell and will certainly be on the top of quite a few teams' wish list:

Linebackers: The Cardinals didn't draft an ILB for the second consecutive year but there are some notable names still available and with any luck, these guys might turn out even better than Ali Highsmith did last year. There are couple of outside backers at the bottom who might interest the Cardinals considering that they probably stash them on the practice squad and see how they look in a year once they learn the position.

Darry Beckwith (6'0, 234), LSU: Beckwith was thought be a third or fourth round pick at worse but his injury history and lack of great size or athleticism must have hurt him more than scouts thought.
Dannell Ellerbe (6'1 236) Georgia: Teams obviously thought that Ellerbe's breakout season in 2007 was overshadowed by three mediocre seasons. He'll have an uphill battle to make any team but he's got some athleticism and could be a factor on special teams.
Antonio Appleby (6'3 245) Virginia: He's nothing special in terms of production or athletic ability but a 3-4 team will pick him up for depth and his potential as a two down thumper.
Worrell Williams (5'11, 240) California: Williams is undersized but he's got experience in a 3-4 and the athleticism to be an NFL player.
Orion Martin (6'3, 262) Virginia Tech: Another former college DE who is probably best served switching to OLB, he's totaled 14 sacks over the past two seasons but ran a disappointing 4.89 at the combine.

Defensive Line: The Cardinals completely ignored the defensive line in the draft despite some concerns about the depth at defensive end and nose tackle. I'd be surprised if a couple of UDFA's aren't some wide bodied defenders.

Chris Baker (6'2 326) Hampton: Off the field problems forced him to leave Penn State and most likely are the biggest reason that's he field phone calls today instead of packing for an NFL team already. He's got the talent (16.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks) to play in this league but will need soem guidance.
Mitch King (6'1, 280) Iowa: King played defensive end, tackle and even linebacker while at Iowa and could project at either end or linebacker in the NFL. His tweener status probably kept him from being drafted by he's a versatile defender who carried a mid-round grade from some scouts.
Everette Pedescleaux (6'5, 305) Northern Iowa: The Cardinals were rumored to have brought Pedescleaux in for a visit before the draft and he'd offer some depth and athleticism at the defensive end spot.

Offensive skill positions: While the Cardinals might be stacked at running back after the selections of Wells and LSH, it wouldn't hurt to add another body to man the practice squad. Any receiver with some return potential might also be intriguing as should any balanced tight end.

Jeremiah Johnson (5'9 209) Oregon: He was never really a featured runner but he totalled over 2,000 yards at Oregon and averaged over six yards per carry. He's also got experience returning kicks.
Ian Johnson (5'11, 212) Boise State: Johnson ran surprisingly fast at the combine (4.46) but his long list of injury is concerning.
Devin Moore (5'9, 191) Wyoming: Moore's size hurts his stock but his athleticism is amazing and he could help a team as a third down back and kick returner.
Kory Sheets (5'11, 208) Purdue: Another smallish back with outstanding speed (4.47) who doubles as a back and return man.
Marlon Lucky and Arian Foster (5'11, 216 & 6'1, 215): Both Lucky and Foster were starting backs who ran disappointing 40's and failed to establish themselves as NFL material but seven rounds of waiting might just be the motivation that they needed.
Quan Cosby (5'9, 196) Texas: He's small and old for an NFL rookie (26) but he is faster than he timed (4.57) and was a successful punt and kick returner at Texas.
Jeremy Gilchrist (5'9 176) Hampton: Gilchrist is tiny and was neutralized by double teams after totaling over a 1,000 yards in 2007 but his six punt return touchdowns in the past two years is hard to ignore.
Ryan Purvis (6'3, 254) Boston College: A physically limited tight end whose senior production drastically dropped off with Matt Ryan gone, but he's physical, willing blocker who had over 50 reception in 2007.
Jared Bronson (6'4, 254) Central Washington: Bronson's a decent in-line blocker who has also shown the ability to stretch the field (17.9 yards per catch in 2008).

-----------------------------------------------------------------

There are countless other guys we could mention but that's a small taste. Who else would you like to see the Cardinals take a look at? What positions still need the most help?

Battle Lines Drawn: Seven Bengals running backs will compete for two roster spots

Kirkendall — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:11:49 -0000

Cedric Benson is penciled in as the Bengals feature back.

You can never have too many people for one position heading into training camp. If players know that their very livelihoods are on the line, they tend to pull out the stops that they have. Competition warrants results. It's the foundation of Capitalism, when a third-party entity doesn't feel compelled to get in the way.

The Bengals broke camp in 2008 with five running backs (which also includes fullbacks). They kept Chris Perry, Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey, Daniel Coats and Jeremi Johnson. In 2007 they kept four; Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Quincy Wilson and Jeremi Johnson. They kept six in 2006; Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Quincy Wilson and Jeremi Johnson. In each season, when excluding fullback-specific players, the Bengals broke camp with three running backs.

One of our many position battles that we'll see in the coming months is running back. Even though the Bengals signed Cedric Benson to a two-year deal, claimed Gary Russell and re-signed DeDe Dorsey to a one-year deal after deciding not to tender the restricted free agent, the Bengals have a collection of running backs that will improve the position beyond anything we've seen in a while. No, I'm not talking about results or anything like that.

Heading into the draft, the Bengals already had six running backs signed to contracts. On Sunday, they drafted Bernard Scott and signed Marlon Lucky as an undrafted free agent. The competition at running back won't be as much about the feature back (that's Cedric Benson's to lose) as it will be everyone else.

You might as well pencil Benson in as the feature back, which leaves seven backs for two spots. That's where the competition begins. Is Perry all but gone? Does Watson playing on the final year under contract and being primarily a blocking back last year, make him a project casualty? DeDe Dorsey and James Johnson would have to put together masterful off-seasons just to be considered. Is Bernard Scott and/or Marlon Lucky likely practice squad candidates?

It'll be fun to watch and it's encouraging that the Bengals are stocking the position for a position battle that only improves our chances to succeed. Here's the roster.

Cedric Benson
Gary Russell
Kenny Watson
Chris Perry
DeDe Dorsey
James Johnson
Bernard Scott
Marlon Lucky

Resetting the weekend; draft picks and undrafted free agents

Kirkendall — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:34:05 -0000

I know there's a lot of new stuff that's happened this weekend that will take some time to process -- and I'll do my best to present it easily rather than a bunch of posts detailing the acquisitions. For the time being, here's a run down of players that the Bengals selected in the draft and reportedly after the draft.

In the NFL Draft

Round	Overall	Selection
1	6	OT Andre Smith, Alabama
2	38	LB Rey Maualuga, USC
3	70	DE Michael Johnson, Georgia Tech
3	98	TE Chase Coffman, Missouri
4	106	C Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas
5	142	Punter Kevin Huber, UC
6	179	CB Morgan Trent, Michigan
6	209	RB Bernard Scott, Abilene Christian
7	215	RB Fui Vakapuna, BYU
7	249	DT Clinton McDonald, Memphis
7	252	WR Freddie Brown, Utah

After the Draft, undrafted free agents (reported by Joe Reedy)

Player	Position	School
Quan Cosby	WR	Texas
Marlon Lucky	RB	Nebraska
Billy Farris	QB	Colorado State
Ty Steinkuhler	DE	Nebraska
Colin Dow	C	Montana

H/T to "the1austin" for finding another list that included all of the above, save for quarterback Billy Farris.

Player	Position	School
Dan Skuta	DL	Grand Valley St
Chris Pressley	FB	Wisconsin
Tom Nelson	S	Illinois State
Greg Orton	TE	Purdue

That's reportedly nine undrafted free agents, 11 drafted players, giving you a total of 20 new prospects on the team.